For decades, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences did not consider animated films worthy of consideration outside of a select few cases, such asSnow White and the Seven Dwarfs. However, the 1990s saw the release ofBeauty and the Beast, the first animated film to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture, and other animation studios rose to challenge the monopoly of Disney, such as Pixarand DreamWorks. Thus, in 2002, the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature was created, and its first winner was DreamWorks’Shrek.
Though we are only halfway through the 2020s, it’s a good time to look back at the films that have won the award as we eagerly await the 97th Academy Awards. While Pixar and Disney continue to win more often than not, the early 2020s saw a few victories from other sources, which helps to remind audiences of the beauty and versatility of animation.This list will rank every winner of the Best Animated Feature Oscar throughout the 2020sbased on their overall quality, memorability, and how they measure against their fellow nominees.
5’Toy Story 4' (2019)
Directed by Josh Cooley
1995’sToy Storyis one of themost important animated films in history. It cemented Pixar as a new studio and was the first animated film made entirely with CGI. Its sequels managed to equal or even surpass it in terms of comedy, character writing, and emotional depth, tackling heavy themes like abandonment, fate, and the inevitability of change, which sawToy Story 3become the third and most recent animated film to be nominated for Best Picture. Most fans were content to let the main story end there and enjoy the various shorts detailing the toy’s lives with their new owner, Bonnie (Emily HahnandMadeleine McGraw). However, a fourth film was released that saw Woody (Tom Hanks) trying to protect Bonnie’s newest toy, Forky (Tony Hale), and reuniting with his lost love, Bo Peep (Annie Potts).
On a technical level,Toy Story 4isthe best film in the series, thanks to the impressive detail and lighting effects that make the toys feel more real than ever before. However,the story feels like a rehash of previous entries, and aside from Woody, the old characters feel superfluous. Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) especially suffers, as he spends the whole film listening to his voice box rather than taking charge, like inToy Story 2.The film does still have some emotional moments and interesting discussions regarding purpose and letting go of the past, butit’s undermined by its ending, which sees Woody backpedal on the lessons he learned in the previous sequels. It also doesn’t help thatToy Story 4won the Oscar over other beloved animated releases, such asHow to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden WorldandKlaus, which felt likethe Oscars were reinforcing their bias towards Disney and Pixarreleases.
Toy Story 4
4’Soul' (2020)
Directed by Pete Docter and co-directed by Kemp Powers
With eleven wins under its belt, Pixar has the most Best Animated Feature Oscars out of any production company. One reason for this is Pixar’s ability to blend creative ideas with profound storytelling, ensuring that viewers of all ages can fall in love with their characters. Recent releases from the company have been hit-and-miss, but their most recent Oscar win,Soul, is seen by many asits most mature movie. It follows Joe (Jamie Foxx), a part-time music teacher who aspires to make it as a professional jazz pianist. Just as he finally gets his big break, he falls down a manhole and becomes a spirit bound for The Great Beyond, who must help an unborn soul named 22 (Tina Fey) find her purpose if he wants to avoid passing on.
Soul’splot touches on complicated themes regardingthe meaning of life and the difference between passion and purpose. Joe’s entire life had been spent in pursuit of his jazz career, to the point that he felt like everything else was secondary or meaningless. Yet, as he tries to help 22 discover her passion, he sees the error of committing so much to a single goal. The film expresses that every facet of life—from a simple conversation to enjoying the changing leaves—makes it a beautiful experience that should be cherished becauseyou never know when it will come to an end. Also, it’sanother gorgeously animated film, particularly with how it uses abstract shapes to represent the various inhabitants of The Great Beginning, where new souls are born, and the Lost Souls, who have become trapped by their obsessions.
3’Encanto' (2021)
Directed by Jared Bush and Byron Howard, co-directed by Charise Castro Smith
The last few years have been rather rocky for Disney. Once, the Mouse House was synonymous with high-quality animated films, beloved fortheir catchy songs, simple but relatable characters, and timeless messages. However, in recent years, the company has been releasing lackluster productions across the board, some of which rank among itsbiggest box-office bombs. Yet one film that managed to receive near-universal praise isEncanto, a story set in Colombia that follows the Madrigal family, each of whom is gifted with magic powers when they turn five. That is, except for Mirabel (Stephanie Beatriz), who inexplicably didn’t receive a gift and finds herself being left behind by the rest of her family. Still, it doesn’t stop her from trying to save them when the family’s magic begins to fade, and their home threatens to tear itself apart.
Encantofeels likea return to form for Disney. The animation does a wonderful job highlighting the vibrant beauty of Colombian culture and landscapes, whilethe songs byLin-Manuel Mirandaare fast-paced, energetic, and memorable, especially the breakout hit “We Don’t Talk About Bruno.” But what really makesEncantospecial is its story and characters. Each member of the Madrigal family hasa personal struggle to overcome, and the film takes time to show the damage that can be done by neglect, unrealistic expectations, and doubt. At the center of all of this isa gripping story about overcoming tragediesand creating something new and beautiful, even if the road there has moments of darkness.
2’The Boy and the Heron' (2023)
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki
Hayao Miyazakiis perhaps the most recognized namewhen it comes to Japanese animation. He has directed many acclaimed movies beloved for their environmentalist themes, well-realized characters with multifaceted personalities, and how creative his stories get. His magnum opus,Spirited Away, was the second recipient of the Best Animated Feature Oscar and the first foreign film to win. Over two decades later, he got another win with his most recent—and possibly final—film,The Boy and the Heron. Set during World War II, it follows a young boy named Mahito (Soma Santoki/Luca Padovan) who is grieving the loss of his mother and struggling to adapt to his father marrying her sister. As he adjusts to this new life, a strange grey heron (Masaki Suda/Robert Pattinson) tempts Mahito to follow him with the promise of seeing his mother, which takes him into a fantastical world.
The Boy and the Heroncanbest be described as watching a dream. There is an eeriness to the atmosphere, which captures how Mahito’s grief is causing him to dissociate from those who care about him. Even the magical world feels off, from the near-lifeless oceans to a society of anthropomorphic parakeets who feed on flesh, which feeds into a larger story about processing grief and theimpossible pursuit of perfection. The film’sphenomenal hand-drawn animationis the final cherry on top: it adds to the dream-like quality through its fluid movements and creative expression, such as during the beginning when Mahito tries to save his mother and reminds audiences that 2D films still have a place in today’s3D dominated landscape.
1’Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio' (2022)
Directed by Guillermo del Toro
Guillermo del Torois a directorin a league of his own. His films are well known for their surreal storytelling and blending of idealistic and grim themes, resulting in, if nothing else, unforgettable viewing experiences. His dark fairytales are among his most memorable films, and the most recent of these is his take onPinocchio, which was a longstanding passion project of del Toro’s. He sets the story in early 20th century Italy, where Pinocchio (Gregory Mann) is given life by a kind Wood Sprite (Tilda Swinton) to help a grieving woodcarver named Geppetto (David Bradley), who lost his son during World War I. Unfortunately, Pinocchio’s status as an immortal, sentient puppet leads to numerous folks trying to exploit him, from sleazy con men to Italy’s Fascist government.
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchiois among the most creativeadaptations ofCarlo Collodi’s story. The film juxtaposes the familiar story beats of Pinocchio learning life lessons withgrim and, at times, nihilistic imagery, from the death of Geppetto’s son to the oppressive regime that sees fathers turn their sons into weapons for the state. Yet the film makes sure tobalance these moments of darkness with selfless actions, which del Toro used to show that, to be human, you need to treat your fellow man with decency rather than cruelty. There is also a fascinating exploration of death in the film: Pinocchio’s immortality allows him to come back to life after meeting with Death (Swinton), who challenges Pinocchio to think about the importance of mortality.Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchiois also the first stop-motion film to win the Oscar sinceWallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, and its gothic designs and fluid movement are a wonderful demonstration of theimmersive powers of stop-motion animation.
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